Wii Goosebumps HorrorLand game definitely delivers the most hair-raising and bone-chilling rendition of the HorrorLand park to date.
The HorrorLand theme park was created by Stine in his Goosebumps books series. "The scariest place on Earth" has been featured in the Goosebumps books and as a board game and a 1996 PC game.
Note: one of the few enjoyable attractions at HorrorLand - the bumper cars of Shock'n'Roll.
evil spirit posses the controls in this game collection - their only goal is to drive you crazy.
Each of the park's 5 themed areas has 6 attractions, for a total of thirty minigames - but most of them are just slight variations on each other. For instance, there are some bumper-car games in which your goal is to destroy the other cars by ramming into them. You use the Wii Remote to steer, as well as to trigger bursts of speed, and these control well and are entertaining for a few minutes. But you've got to take the bad with the good in HorrorLand, and the bad is very, very bad.
HorrorLand starts by having you choose a young boy or girl as your character, and then kicks things off with you and a friend mysteriously finding tickets to the park. Upon your arrival, your tickets are torn into pieces by the green-skinned horror at the entrance, and you and your friend are quickly separated. It soon becomes clear that the only way you'll escape from HorrorLand is by finding all the pieces of your ticket, which are scattered across the park's five areas. And to do that, you've unfortunately got to ride the rides and play the parlor games that make up HorrorLand's attractions.
It's not possible to get through the game playing only the more passable attractions, because getting into each successive area requires you to have a certain number of frights. You earn frights based on your performance in each game: a bronze-level performance nets you one, a silver two, and a gold three. Getting into the last area of the park requires you to have 50 frights, so you'll need to have earned at least a silver on most of the attractions to reach that point. It's surprisingly difficult to earn silver in a fair number of the attractions, and by the time you do, you'll likely have played even the more enjoyable minigames enough times that you'll be tired of them. But that's far from the worst that HorrorLand has to offer.
In addition to the aforementioned game types, there are roller coasters that have you scanning for targets to shoot, flume rides in which you must row left and right to avoid obstacles, shooting galleries, and the like. Some of the rides have an elaborate design that makes them look like they'd be fun to ride, but this doesn't translate into fun gameplay, and riding them a few times or more to try to earn more frights quickly becomes tedious. Speaking of tedious, many of your ticket pieces are found by aimlessly wandering all over various sections of the park with a young girl in tow, waiting for her to tell you that a piece of your ticket is nearby. It's not fun.
The worst games of all are those that require any kind of back-and-forth swinging motion, such as the minigolf games and the Skee-Ball-like parlor games in which you must roll balls into slots using just the right amount of momentum. The problem is that controlling that momentum seems just about impossible. You might swing the remote back and forth with tremendous speed, only to see your character tap the golf ball ever so slightly or roll the ball gently up the incline. Likewise, you might make the slightest movement with the remote and see the golf ball go flying forward or speeding up the slope. The controls for these attractions feel completely broken. And, like some kind of sick joke, the one game at which you absolutely must earn gold if you want to escape from HorrorLand is Pharaoh's Fairways, one of the minigolf attractions. Even the most patient of players will likely get frustrated with the controls while attempting to pull this off. It's almost as if the game itself, like the horrors who run HorrorLand, want you to be stuck in the park forever.
In addition to the single-player story mode, you can play any minigame you've previously played in the game's Arcade mode. Furthermore, a dozen of the games can be played by two players, allowing you to compete with a friend for a high score, which does make the shooting galleries a bit more interesting. There are also 25 monster cards to collect by meeting various conditions, though it's difficult to imagine anyone enjoying this game enough to find lasting value in this opportunity. Even the most devoted of Goosebumps fans will find a frightful amount of frustration waiting for them in HorrorLand.
It's too bad that the game fails so tremendously in a few very important areas, given that it does make HorrorLand seem like an interesting place, full of the kind of goofy, good-natured scares that young Goosebumps fans would love. The graphics certainly aren't technically impressive, but the five themed areas do have a certain style to them, from the B-movie sci-fi aesthetic of Mad Labs to the mummy-infested Egyptian horror of Terror Tombs. The music is suitably spooky, and the voice acting is decent throughout, with especially spirited introductions for each event and great delivery of the pun-filled humor that you'll find at every corner of HorrorLand. (What's a vampire's favorite holiday? Fangsgiving! Mwa-ha-ha!)
Give it a try and see for yourself.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Goosebumps Horrorland-Books video off YouTube
I spotted a Goosebumps Horrorland Books video the other day - hmm, interesting method to come up with a home made(?) movie of a favorite book :)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Goosebumps HorrorLand multiplayer action anybody?
OK - as you guys and gals know, Goosebumps HorrorLand also is an adventure game set in a fright-themed amusement park filled with over thirty thrilling rides and bone-chilling attractions.
Blah blah blah.
Sounds like fun--until you discover the scares are all too real and find yourself vanquishing...
And it would be even MORE fun to enjoy 8-player multiplayer action through your Wi-Fi Connection.
Thoughts abybody :)?
Blah blah blah.
Sounds like fun--until you discover the scares are all too real and find yourself vanquishing...
And it would be even MORE fun to enjoy 8-player multiplayer action through your Wi-Fi Connection.
Thoughts abybody :)?
Monday, August 18, 2008
Goosebumps Horroland Movie Coming?
I've just stumbled upon this:
Dare to Watch New Goosebumps DVD Releases!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT DARES KIDS TO WATCH
...but then I saw what it's about re-release of
ONE DAY AT HORRORLAND
A NIGHT IN TERROR TOWER
MONSTER BLOOD
as Three All-New DVD Collections :(((
Anyway, maybe somebody would be interested:
Dare to Watch New Goosebumps DVD Releases!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT DARES KIDS TO WATCH
...but then I saw what it's about re-release of
ONE DAY AT HORRORLAND
A NIGHT IN TERROR TOWER
MONSTER BLOOD
as Three All-New DVD Collections :(((
Anyway, maybe somebody would be interested:
These three new Goosebumps DVD titles – now newly repackaged - include such terrifying adventures and monster mysteries as a haunted medieval torture chamber, a roller coaster ride of terror, the discovery of strange glowing green goo and more frightening tales. Each frightful Goosebumps DVD features several bone-chilling episodes and will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.98 U.S. / $15.98 Canada – plus Fox Home Entertainment will be offering a special on-pack discount offer to buy two of these new Goosebumps titles, get $3.00 off the next purchase of any Goosebumps titles; or buy all three, get $6.00 off other Goosebumps titles.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Call for adding more Goosebumps Horrorland Wii Game sweepstakes
Back in comments to "Enterhorrorland.com FAQ" post guys mildly ;) brought my attention to the fact what "the new Goosebumps game was at E3. It's a "Goosebumps HorrorLand" game after all, for the PS2, Wii and DS".
Yeah guys - how come I could overlook news about Goosebumps Horrorland Wii Game ;)?
Look - smart dudes dont even spend a buck on it, they just get it via numerous sweepstakes!
Didnt you see those swell giveaways like , uh,
"Grand Prize: Wii System (prize value $249.99)"
"2nd Prize: Twenty (20) winners will each receive Goosebumps Horrorland Wii Game (prize value $39.99)"?
A pleasant thing about few I came around was printed in, well, fine print:
"NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING." Cool uh?
Finally I entered the sweepstake Jerry told me about last week. I don't know how long they will give away these for, but if I were you, I'd grab one right away.
I think they only requirements are that you are over 18 and provide a valid address in US (for Canadians there is even a better deal - who these Wixawin guys are?!).
The good folks from ThePrizeCenter want to give you a free Wii w/games (15 games, count it), too. I take it what they hope that you'll get hooked and buy more stuff from them.
Like I said, these offers are all exclusive to US residents (and guys and gals from Canada), non-US visitors are redirected elsewhere.
I'd love to see your opinion. Will be adding few more links to such a sweepstakes, would appreciate your input guys.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Enterhorrorland.com FAQ
I'm going to put together Enterhorrorland.com frequently asked questions - and answers. Bookmark it for reference, I'll be updating it regularly.
1) I completed 2 first maps at enterhorrorland.com - how do I get to next map?
So you wonder why the other maps are still not open, or, say, "how do I get map 3 on enterhorrorland.com" ?
The answer is simple:
The rest of the books from Goosebumps Horrorland series aren't out yet.
Each time a new book is released, its map is opened up on the site. Sometimes (as it was with third book, Goosebumps Horrorland #3 Monster Blood For Breakfast!) map might be available earlier than stated.
2) What were first 2 maps at enterhorrorland?
Map 1: with the living dummy and
Map 2: the creature from the deep
1) I completed 2 first maps at enterhorrorland.com - how do I get to next map?
So you wonder why the other maps are still not open, or, say, "how do I get map 3 on enterhorrorland.com" ?
The answer is simple:
The rest of the books from Goosebumps Horrorland series aren't out yet.
Each time a new book is released, its map is opened up on the site. Sometimes (as it was with third book, Goosebumps Horrorland #3 Monster Blood For Breakfast!) map might be available earlier than stated.
2) What were first 2 maps at enterhorrorland?
Map 1: with the living dummy and
Map 2: the creature from the deep
Complete Goosebumps Horrorland book list
All right...As promised in previous post, I managed to sit down and compile complete list of titles included in Goosebumps Horrorland series. I also
putting along all Horrorland books a short description of the plot - as you're no doubt aware, all Goosebumps Horrorland books have a cliff hanger at every chapters end, so my list would come handy - at least for myself :)
(Book 1) Goosebumps Horrorland #1 - Revenge of the Living Dummy
Intrigue: 12-year-old Britney Crosby is the first new heroine in (Book 1) Goosebumps HorrorLand - and the first to face off with the legendary living dummy Slappy and his evil plans. Even when it seems the danger has passed, she receives an invitation to the sinister HorrorLand, where someone - or something - is luring many more kids. Can Britney and her friends solve the mystery before they're trapped forever?
HorrorLand locations: Stagger Inn
(Book 2) Goosebumps Horrorland #2 - Creep From the Deep
Intrigue: Billy and Sheena must once again defeat aquatic terrors, in the form of an undead captain who sails a doomed undersea ship. Even if they succeed, a surprise invitation to HorrorLand is drawing them into another deadly situation.
HorrorLand locations: Black Lagoon Water Park
(Book 3) Goosebumps Horrorland #3 - Monster Blood For Breakfast
Intrigue: Athletic Matt despises Bradley Wormser, or "Worm" as he calls him. Bradley orders a container of Monster Blood from a website in order to become big and strong like Matt, but instead Matt starts growing. Even worse, an invitation to HorrorLand is on the way for him.
HorrorLand locations: A street with Hungry Crocs Ride, Crocodile Cafe, Monster Police Office, and Dr. Twisted's Science Lab.
(Book 4) Goosebumps Horrorland #4 - The Scream of the Haunted Mask
Intrigue: After their previous experiences with the Haunted Mask, Carly-Beth, Steve, Chuck, and Sabrina assumes there's nothing scarier - and one year later, it calls out to them once again. Can they survive a night in an entire house full of haunted masks? And even if they do, the prospect of a visit to HorrorLand is looming on the horizon...
(Book 5) Goosebumps Horrorland #5 - Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz
Intrigue: Robby Schwartz's older brother Sam publishes a daily webcomic featuring the villainous and superpowered Dr. Maniac. But strangely, when Sam disappears, the comic keeps on updating - and Sam himself is in one of the panels, crying out for help. Soon enough it's Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz, but there's the added threat of a summons to HorrorLand waiting for Robby, and danger is drawing closer and closer.
(Book 6) Goosebumps Horrorland #6 - Who's Your Mummy?
Intrigue: Ordinary kids are being brought to HorrorLand and trapped there. Their only company? Vicious monsters and enemies, some new and terrifying, some from Goosebumps history - and next to make itself known is a cursed mummy.
(Book 7) Goosebumps Horrorland #7 - My Friends Call Me Monster
Intrigue: Ordinary kids are being brought to HorrorLand and trapped there. Their only company? Vicious monsters and enemies, some new and terrifying, some from Goosebumps history - and there's more to come, as somebody's about to be brought down by an evil curse.
(Book 8) Goosebumps Horrorland #8 - Say Cheese and Die Screaming!
Intrigue: Ordinary kids are being brought to HorrorLand and trapped there. Their only company? Vicious monsters and enemies, some new and terrifying, some from Goosebumps history - including an evil camera that spells a terrifying future. But thanks to the camera, for someone, there might not be a future...
(Book 9) Goosebumps Horrorland #9 - Welcome to Camp Slither
Intrigue: Another evil camp has horrible plans for its campers, but could HorrorLand be even worse?
(Book 10) Goosebumps Horrorland #10 - Help! We Have Strange Powers!
Intrigue: The story moves entirely to HorrorLand as the kids and their enemies clash.
(Book 11) Goosebumps Horrorland #11 - Streets of Panic Park
Intrigue: The kids must survive in HorrorLand, but the odds are against them with so many villains around.
(Book 12) Goosebumps Horrorland #12 - The Last Horror
Intrigue: Can the kids find out who or what has brought them to HorrorLand and why, before it's too late?
putting along all Horrorland books a short description of the plot - as you're no doubt aware, all Goosebumps Horrorland books have a cliff hanger at every chapters end, so my list would come handy - at least for myself :)
(Book 1) Goosebumps Horrorland #1 - Revenge of the Living Dummy
Intrigue: 12-year-old Britney Crosby is the first new heroine in (Book 1) Goosebumps HorrorLand - and the first to face off with the legendary living dummy Slappy and his evil plans. Even when it seems the danger has passed, she receives an invitation to the sinister HorrorLand, where someone - or something - is luring many more kids. Can Britney and her friends solve the mystery before they're trapped forever?
HorrorLand locations: Stagger Inn
(Book 2) Goosebumps Horrorland #2 - Creep From the Deep
Intrigue: Billy and Sheena must once again defeat aquatic terrors, in the form of an undead captain who sails a doomed undersea ship. Even if they succeed, a surprise invitation to HorrorLand is drawing them into another deadly situation.
HorrorLand locations: Black Lagoon Water Park
(Book 3) Goosebumps Horrorland #3 - Monster Blood For Breakfast
Intrigue: Athletic Matt despises Bradley Wormser, or "Worm" as he calls him. Bradley orders a container of Monster Blood from a website in order to become big and strong like Matt, but instead Matt starts growing. Even worse, an invitation to HorrorLand is on the way for him.
HorrorLand locations: A street with Hungry Crocs Ride, Crocodile Cafe, Monster Police Office, and Dr. Twisted's Science Lab.
(Book 4) Goosebumps Horrorland #4 - The Scream of the Haunted Mask
Intrigue: After their previous experiences with the Haunted Mask, Carly-Beth, Steve, Chuck, and Sabrina assumes there's nothing scarier - and one year later, it calls out to them once again. Can they survive a night in an entire house full of haunted masks? And even if they do, the prospect of a visit to HorrorLand is looming on the horizon...
(Book 5) Goosebumps Horrorland #5 - Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz
Intrigue: Robby Schwartz's older brother Sam publishes a daily webcomic featuring the villainous and superpowered Dr. Maniac. But strangely, when Sam disappears, the comic keeps on updating - and Sam himself is in one of the panels, crying out for help. Soon enough it's Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz, but there's the added threat of a summons to HorrorLand waiting for Robby, and danger is drawing closer and closer.
(Book 6) Goosebumps Horrorland #6 - Who's Your Mummy?
Intrigue: Ordinary kids are being brought to HorrorLand and trapped there. Their only company? Vicious monsters and enemies, some new and terrifying, some from Goosebumps history - and next to make itself known is a cursed mummy.
(Book 7) Goosebumps Horrorland #7 - My Friends Call Me Monster
Intrigue: Ordinary kids are being brought to HorrorLand and trapped there. Their only company? Vicious monsters and enemies, some new and terrifying, some from Goosebumps history - and there's more to come, as somebody's about to be brought down by an evil curse.
(Book 8) Goosebumps Horrorland #8 - Say Cheese and Die Screaming!
Intrigue: Ordinary kids are being brought to HorrorLand and trapped there. Their only company? Vicious monsters and enemies, some new and terrifying, some from Goosebumps history - including an evil camera that spells a terrifying future. But thanks to the camera, for someone, there might not be a future...
(Book 9) Goosebumps Horrorland #9 - Welcome to Camp Slither
Intrigue: Another evil camp has horrible plans for its campers, but could HorrorLand be even worse?
(Book 10) Goosebumps Horrorland #10 - Help! We Have Strange Powers!
Intrigue: The story moves entirely to HorrorLand as the kids and their enemies clash.
(Book 11) Goosebumps Horrorland #11 - Streets of Panic Park
Intrigue: The kids must survive in HorrorLand, but the odds are against them with so many villains around.
(Book 12) Goosebumps Horrorland #12 - The Last Horror
Intrigue: Can the kids find out who or what has brought them to HorrorLand and why, before it's too late?
Goosebumps Horrorland 12 book series
Following Horrorland books list is a sort of memo for myself - like, what NOT to miss in the series.
OK - Goosebumps Horrorland 12 book series - titles in order of appearance :)
(book 1) Goosebumps Horrorland #1 - Revenge of the Living Dummy
(book 2) Goosebumps Horrorland #2 - Creep From the Deep
(book 3) Goosebumps Horrorland #3 - Monster Blood For Breakfast
(book 4) Goosebumps Horrorland #4 - The Scream of the Haunted Mask
(book 5) Goosebumps Horrorland #5 - Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz
(book 6) Goosebumps Horrorland #6 - Who's Your Mummy?
(book 7) Goosebumps Horrorland #7 - My Friends Call Me Monster
(book 8) Goosebumps Horrorland #8 - Say Cheese and Die Screaming!
(book 9) Goosebumps Horrorland #9 - Welcome to Camp Slither
(book 10) Goosebumps Horrorland #10 - Help! We Have Strange Powers!
(book 11) Goosebumps Horrorland #11 - Streets of Panic Park
(book 12) Goosebumps Horrorland #12 - The Last Horror
I'll also post a quick guide to Goosebumps Horrorland plots for whose of you who got no time to read all goosebumps horrorland books :)
OK - Goosebumps Horrorland 12 book series - titles in order of appearance :)
(book 1) Goosebumps Horrorland #1 - Revenge of the Living Dummy
(book 2) Goosebumps Horrorland #2 - Creep From the Deep
(book 3) Goosebumps Horrorland #3 - Monster Blood For Breakfast
(book 4) Goosebumps Horrorland #4 - The Scream of the Haunted Mask
(book 5) Goosebumps Horrorland #5 - Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz
(book 6) Goosebumps Horrorland #6 - Who's Your Mummy?
(book 7) Goosebumps Horrorland #7 - My Friends Call Me Monster
(book 8) Goosebumps Horrorland #8 - Say Cheese and Die Screaming!
(book 9) Goosebumps Horrorland #9 - Welcome to Camp Slither
(book 10) Goosebumps Horrorland #10 - Help! We Have Strange Powers!
(book 11) Goosebumps Horrorland #11 - Streets of Panic Park
(book 12) Goosebumps Horrorland #12 - The Last Horror
I'll also post a quick guide to Goosebumps Horrorland plots for whose of you who got no time to read all goosebumps horrorland books :)
Enterhorrorland maps guide
Gary asked yesterday how to get to map three on www.enterhorrorland.com - so I took time to take some pictures at Gosebumps Horrorland website while playing, consider it a quick enterhorrorland map 3 walkthrough.
here is the pics:
Map 3 features following HorrorLand locations: Monster Police Office, Crocodile Cafe, a street with Hungry Crocs Ride,and Dr. Twisted's Science Lab.
HorrorLand's Monster Police are receiving ghastly reports about Dr.Twisted. He's locked himself deep inside his laboratory and MAY BE EXPERIMENTING WITH MONSTER BLOOD! The Monster Police can't seem to crack the code to his lab and stop the demented Doctor. Go investigate, but be careful!
here is the pics:
Map 3 features following HorrorLand locations: Monster Police Office, Crocodile Cafe, a street with Hungry Crocs Ride,and Dr. Twisted's Science Lab.
HorrorLand's Monster Police are receiving ghastly reports about Dr.Twisted. He's locked himself deep inside his laboratory and MAY BE EXPERIMENTING WITH MONSTER BLOOD! The Monster Police can't seem to crack the code to his lab and stop the demented Doctor. Go investigate, but be careful!
My favorite video: Goosebumps Horrorland Movie Trailer
I mentioned what Columbia seeks unknown child actors for "Goosebumps Horrorland" movie - and Goosebumps Horrorland Movie Trailer is already surfaced - take a look:
I got the video from Goosebumps Horroland Guide site.
I got the video from Goosebumps Horroland Guide site.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Columbia seeks unknown child actors for "Goosebumps Horrorland" movie
Just a couple more words in addition to yesterday's post:
"The time is ripe for doing a movie," said Forte, who dubbed "Goosebumps" the original "safe scare" property. "The first generation of 'Goosebumps' fans are in their early 20s now."
Moritz said they likely will cast unknown child actors and then pepper the film with well-known thesps in supporting roles, much like Warner did with the "Harry Potter" franchise.
"Numerous people have tried to bring 'Goosebumps' to the bigscreen, but luckily Scholastic never found the right fit," said Moritz, who is better known for producing action fare such as "The Fast and the Furious" films, though he has the young-adult project "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" in development at Sony. "I've been a huge fan of the property for a long time. I met with Deborah several times and convinced her that Original and Sony were the best place to take it."
Sony and Scholastic see the property as a potential franchise.
Studio is fast-tracking the project and is focusing on finding a writer.
"The time is ripe for doing a movie," said Forte, who dubbed "Goosebumps" the original "safe scare" property. "The first generation of 'Goosebumps' fans are in their early 20s now."
Moritz said they likely will cast unknown child actors and then pepper the film with well-known thesps in supporting roles, much like Warner did with the "Harry Potter" franchise.
"Numerous people have tried to bring 'Goosebumps' to the bigscreen, but luckily Scholastic never found the right fit," said Moritz, who is better known for producing action fare such as "The Fast and the Furious" films, though he has the young-adult project "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" in development at Sony. "I've been a huge fan of the property for a long time. I met with Deborah several times and convinced her that Original and Sony were the best place to take it."
Sony and Scholastic see the property as a potential franchise.
Studio is fast-tracking the project and is focusing on finding a writer.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Goosebumps Horrorland Goes to The Big Screen
"I'm looking forward to bringing 'Goosebumps' to the big screen with Columbia
and Neal who value and respect the brand and the global fan base that
Scholastic has cultivated. What better way to deliver the rollercoaster ride of
scares and humor that the fans expect from 'Goosebumps' than with a movie. Sony'
s track record with franchises like 'Spider-Man' makes them an ideal partner,"
said Deborah Forte, producer and president of Scholastic Media
The "Goosebumps" book series returned to the top of the sales charts again last
month with the release of the first two books in "Goosebumps HorrorLand," a new
twelve book series by R.L. Stine, featuring favorite characters from the
original series such as Slappy the Dummy, the Haunted Mask, and the Mummy. It
is the first "Goosebumps" serialized adventure in which each book is part of
the same plot. Fans can also get exclusive "Goosebumps HorrorLand" content at
EnterHorrorLand.com; and additional "Goosebumps" chills at the official "
Goosebumps" website, which continues to garner 1.5 million page views each
month.
"Goosebumps" has been published in over 32 languages and sold more than 300
million copies worldwide. The series was successfully adapted by Scholastic
Entertainment for television for the Fox Kids Network, where it was rated #1
for four seasons, and aired in over 100 countries. Episodes of the live action
television series returned to the small screen in 2007 on Cartoon Network and
instantly became a sensation. New "Goosebumps HorrorLand" books written by R.L.
Stine hit the stores last month and, this fall, Scholastic Interactive unveils
a highly anticipated "Goosebumps" videogame.
Columbia Pictures has acquired from Scholastic Media the right to adapt
Scholastic's bestselling "Goosebumps" book series into a theatrical feature.
The film will be produced by Deborah Forte and Neal H. Moritz; it was announced
today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures.
"Securing the motion picture rights to 'Goosebumps' for Columbia Pictures and
Sony comes with an enormous responsibility to the fans who have grown up with
these books and have very high expectations about how these beloved novels will
be adapted. We are truly delighted to be partners with Deborah Forte and the
team at Scholastic as we work together to bring 'Goosebumps' to the big screen,"
said Moritz.
Commenting on the announcement, Tolmach said, "'Goosebumps' is an international
multi-media phenomenon, a truly global brand that excites kids everywhere.
Children and parents alike love the 'Goosebumps' series -- it's safe, scary fun
that is completely accessible to audiences from 8 to 80. When kids think of '
Goosebumps,' they're drawn not to a single character or mini-series, but to an
entire environment. We're excited by that creative challenge and, with so much
rich source material available to us, we expect to deliver a film that will
chill and thrill fans of this unique family-friendly franchise."
and Neal who value and respect the brand and the global fan base that
Scholastic has cultivated. What better way to deliver the rollercoaster ride of
scares and humor that the fans expect from 'Goosebumps' than with a movie. Sony'
s track record with franchises like 'Spider-Man' makes them an ideal partner,"
said Deborah Forte, producer and president of Scholastic Media
The "Goosebumps" book series returned to the top of the sales charts again last
month with the release of the first two books in "Goosebumps HorrorLand," a new
twelve book series by R.L. Stine, featuring favorite characters from the
original series such as Slappy the Dummy, the Haunted Mask, and the Mummy. It
is the first "Goosebumps" serialized adventure in which each book is part of
the same plot. Fans can also get exclusive "Goosebumps HorrorLand" content at
EnterHorrorLand.com; and additional "Goosebumps" chills at the official "
Goosebumps" website, which continues to garner 1.5 million page views each
month.
"Goosebumps" has been published in over 32 languages and sold more than 300
million copies worldwide. The series was successfully adapted by Scholastic
Entertainment for television for the Fox Kids Network, where it was rated #1
for four seasons, and aired in over 100 countries. Episodes of the live action
television series returned to the small screen in 2007 on Cartoon Network and
instantly became a sensation. New "Goosebumps HorrorLand" books written by R.L.
Stine hit the stores last month and, this fall, Scholastic Interactive unveils
a highly anticipated "Goosebumps" videogame.
Columbia Pictures has acquired from Scholastic Media the right to adapt
Scholastic's bestselling "Goosebumps" book series into a theatrical feature.
The film will be produced by Deborah Forte and Neal H. Moritz; it was announced
today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures.
"Securing the motion picture rights to 'Goosebumps' for Columbia Pictures and
Sony comes with an enormous responsibility to the fans who have grown up with
these books and have very high expectations about how these beloved novels will
be adapted. We are truly delighted to be partners with Deborah Forte and the
team at Scholastic as we work together to bring 'Goosebumps' to the big screen,"
said Moritz.
Commenting on the announcement, Tolmach said, "'Goosebumps' is an international
multi-media phenomenon, a truly global brand that excites kids everywhere.
Children and parents alike love the 'Goosebumps' series -- it's safe, scary fun
that is completely accessible to audiences from 8 to 80. When kids think of '
Goosebumps,' they're drawn not to a single character or mini-series, but to an
entire environment. We're excited by that creative challenge and, with so much
rich source material available to us, we expect to deliver a film that will
chill and thrill fans of this unique family-friendly franchise."
Saturday, May 3, 2008
R.L.stine: I was having a good time killing off teenagers
Jared Bland posted an excellent overview of Goosebumps Horroland event, so I feel like sharing it with you.
In a few words:
I can speak to the quality of the first book, and the good news for R.L. Stine fans is that it’s everything you would expect from a new Goosebumps. Classic kid topics, like cousin hatred, are covered with aplomb: “I like to make lists. And if I made a list of My Top 5,000 Favorite People in the World, my cousin Ethan wouldn’t be on it.” Injustice, too: “So now I had to sleep in Mom’s sewing room. And the sewing machine was still against the wall. So how much room did I have? Try not much.” And thanks to the surly living dummy, a cache of jokes that will be instantly added to the ten-year-old’s lexicon: “‘I like your long hair,’ Mr. Badboy said to me. ‘Too bad it’s all growing on your back!’” Indeed, Mr. Badboy. (Stine’s characters are, as always, lovely in their kidishness. I don’t know how good they are as representations of actual children, but they’re certainly perfect as articulations of what we think about when we think about kids.)
On Tuesday the New York Times ran a story announcing that young adult novelist R.L. Stine would be resuming his vaguely legendary series, Goosebumps, after an eight-year hiatus. Somewhere near you, a twelve-year-old rejoiced. (An eighteen-year-old did too, I’d wager, as they’ll be the ones with acute nostalgia once they see the new books on the shelves.)
The Times story is charming, the sort of piece about a gently strange man that, when stripped to soundbites, sounds profoundly bizarre: “Along the wall of Mr. Stine’s home office are testaments to the brand’s glory: a ‘Goosebumps’ chocolate Advent calendar”; “Under the name Jovial Bob Stine, he was the author of dozens of joke books in the 1970s and ’80s”; “‘They’re so shiny,’ he said. ‘They’ve got to be shiny now’”; and, best of all, “‘I was having a good time killing off teenagers,’ Mr. Stine said.”
Cut-and-paste fun aside, Stine offers insight into his return to the ‘Bumps: “‘I spent eight years trying to think of a title as good as ‘Goosebumps,’ he said. But he never did.” There’s something admirable about Stine’s honesty here. He has spent these eight years, after all, churning out a few different series, none of which has had nearly the success of Goosebumps. Right now, it seems to me, the man wants to get paid. And that’s an understandable thing.
And so Scholastic gives us HorrorLand:
Seems simple enough, right? But here’s where it gets complicated. When I quoted Stine talking about the idea of shininess above, he was referring to the cover of the first book in the new series, Revenge of the Living Dummy. But it’s not just the cover that’s shiny here, it’s the concept, too. I have tried really hard to understand exactly what the hell is going on in this series, but I’m still not entirely sure I get it. The Times explains it like this: “The children in the first book are invited to the park [HorrorLand], where they discover a werewolf petting zoo, bottomless canoes, a quicksand beach and other wicked attractions. Their misfortunes will be chronicled in serial form in 30-page installments at the end of the subsequent books, which will focus on different characters.”
To me, that sounds complicated, and basically like a bad idea. If you’ll recall the excellent summer of 1996 during which Stephen King’s The Green Mile was published in monthly installments, this would sort of be like tacking on an extra and completely unrelated hundred-or-so-page story to the beginning of books two through six. That just doesn’t make much sense.
But it turns out it’s even more complicated. I cannot even begin to think about knowing how to explain this myself, so I will quote the press release for Revenge of the Living Dummy: “In a Goosebumps first, HorrorLand will be a serialized adventure. The story won’t end on the final page of book one, Revenge of the Living Dummy, or in book two, Creep from the Deep. Instead, the terrifying adventures will continue at www.enterhorrorland.com and in books three to twelve. Readers will be compelled to unlock the sinister answer to all of this terror. By reading the books and interacting with the website they will find themselves also trapped in the theme park, which becomes more and more horrific with each book. Who—or WHAT—is behind the evil plot to assemble these kids? The answer will only be revealed in book twelve.”
Perhaps this is a brilliant, zany marketing scheme just out there enough to work. More likely, it’s a sign of where kids are right now. After all, Britney Crosby, the beleaguered protagonist of Revenge of the Living Dummy, has a cell phone despite being twelve. Maybe this is just what it takes to get kids involved these days. As I neither have one nor know one, I cannot really speak to this.
I can speak to the quality of the first book, and the good news for R.L. Stine fans is that it’s everything you would expect from a new Goosebumps. Classic kid topics, like cousin hatred, are covered with aplomb: “I like to make lists. And if I made a list of My Top 5,000 Favorite People in the World, my cousin Ethan wouldn’t be on it.” Injustice, too: “So now I had to sleep in Mom’s sewing room. And the sewing machine was still against the wall. So how much room did I have? Try not much.” And thanks to the surly living dummy, a cache of jokes that will be instantly added to the ten-year-old’s lexicon: “‘I like your long hair,’ Mr. Badboy said to me. ‘Too bad it’s all growing on your back!’” Indeed, Mr. Badboy. (Stine’s characters are, as always, lovely in their kidishness. I don’t know how good they are as representations of actual children, but they’re certainly perfect as articulations of what we think about when we think about kids.)
And, happily, Stine’s spooky instincts are intact. Consider his opening—“You may wonder why my best friend, Molly Molloy, and I were in the old graveyard late at night.”—which sets a creepy vibe from the start and is even further terrifying in that R.L. Stine is evidently able to conceive of a situation wherein one wouldn’t want to know what these girls were up to in the graveyard. The story itself centres around the re-emergence of and fight against Slappy, a possessed dummy whom you’ll recall from Night of the Living Dummy and its sequels II and III, Goosebumps 2000: Bride of the Living Dummy, and Goosbumps 2000: Slappy’s Nightmare. Slappy, as you can probably imagine, turns out to be a bad dude, as Britney discovers while doing research in a folder marked VENTRILOQUISM found in the attic workroom of Molly’s father, who, thank God, happens to be a professor of folklore. Choice cut: “‘It says the dummy’s real name is Slappy,’ I told Molly. ‘And—I was right! He’s totally evil!’”
(To learn more about Slappy, you should pickup the reissue of Night of the Living Dummy that is being published as part of a group of classic Goosebumps timed to accompany the new titles. It contains a handy ‘Fright Gallery’ in its appendix, which is sort of a Dungeons & Dragons-style assessment of Slappy’s origins, powers, and other particulars. I think everyone can agree that the books are better if you understand that “[s]ome people believe that Slappy has the power to control people’s minds and turn people into puppets,” that his Hobbies & Interests include “[d]aydreaming about what he’ll do when he becomes the Supreme Ruler of the Human Race,” that he rates ten out of ten for humour in the Splat Stats section (though a mere six splats for Attack Skills), and that he was made “a thousand times ruder” by the demise of Mr. Wood, his brother dummy who was carved from the same stolen coffin by “an ancient sorcerer” in the late 1800s.)
In the Times piece, Stine worried about whether the series would catch the imagination of kids in the same way today: “‘Maybe it’ll be hard to do a second time,’ he said. ‘Maybe it’ll happen again. Right now I don’t know.’” Based on Revenge of the Living Dummy, which really is a fun and fast-paced read, I think he’ll be just fine. And if they can figure out the bells and whistles, the kids will be alright, too
In a few words:
I can speak to the quality of the first book, and the good news for R.L. Stine fans is that it’s everything you would expect from a new Goosebumps. Classic kid topics, like cousin hatred, are covered with aplomb: “I like to make lists. And if I made a list of My Top 5,000 Favorite People in the World, my cousin Ethan wouldn’t be on it.” Injustice, too: “So now I had to sleep in Mom’s sewing room. And the sewing machine was still against the wall. So how much room did I have? Try not much.” And thanks to the surly living dummy, a cache of jokes that will be instantly added to the ten-year-old’s lexicon: “‘I like your long hair,’ Mr. Badboy said to me. ‘Too bad it’s all growing on your back!’” Indeed, Mr. Badboy. (Stine’s characters are, as always, lovely in their kidishness. I don’t know how good they are as representations of actual children, but they’re certainly perfect as articulations of what we think about when we think about kids.)
On Tuesday the New York Times ran a story announcing that young adult novelist R.L. Stine would be resuming his vaguely legendary series, Goosebumps, after an eight-year hiatus. Somewhere near you, a twelve-year-old rejoiced. (An eighteen-year-old did too, I’d wager, as they’ll be the ones with acute nostalgia once they see the new books on the shelves.)
The Times story is charming, the sort of piece about a gently strange man that, when stripped to soundbites, sounds profoundly bizarre: “Along the wall of Mr. Stine’s home office are testaments to the brand’s glory: a ‘Goosebumps’ chocolate Advent calendar”; “Under the name Jovial Bob Stine, he was the author of dozens of joke books in the 1970s and ’80s”; “‘They’re so shiny,’ he said. ‘They’ve got to be shiny now’”; and, best of all, “‘I was having a good time killing off teenagers,’ Mr. Stine said.”
Cut-and-paste fun aside, Stine offers insight into his return to the ‘Bumps: “‘I spent eight years trying to think of a title as good as ‘Goosebumps,’ he said. But he never did.” There’s something admirable about Stine’s honesty here. He has spent these eight years, after all, churning out a few different series, none of which has had nearly the success of Goosebumps. Right now, it seems to me, the man wants to get paid. And that’s an understandable thing.
And so Scholastic gives us HorrorLand:
Seems simple enough, right? But here’s where it gets complicated. When I quoted Stine talking about the idea of shininess above, he was referring to the cover of the first book in the new series, Revenge of the Living Dummy. But it’s not just the cover that’s shiny here, it’s the concept, too. I have tried really hard to understand exactly what the hell is going on in this series, but I’m still not entirely sure I get it. The Times explains it like this: “The children in the first book are invited to the park [HorrorLand], where they discover a werewolf petting zoo, bottomless canoes, a quicksand beach and other wicked attractions. Their misfortunes will be chronicled in serial form in 30-page installments at the end of the subsequent books, which will focus on different characters.”
To me, that sounds complicated, and basically like a bad idea. If you’ll recall the excellent summer of 1996 during which Stephen King’s The Green Mile was published in monthly installments, this would sort of be like tacking on an extra and completely unrelated hundred-or-so-page story to the beginning of books two through six. That just doesn’t make much sense.
But it turns out it’s even more complicated. I cannot even begin to think about knowing how to explain this myself, so I will quote the press release for Revenge of the Living Dummy: “In a Goosebumps first, HorrorLand will be a serialized adventure. The story won’t end on the final page of book one, Revenge of the Living Dummy, or in book two, Creep from the Deep. Instead, the terrifying adventures will continue at www.enterhorrorland.com and in books three to twelve. Readers will be compelled to unlock the sinister answer to all of this terror. By reading the books and interacting with the website they will find themselves also trapped in the theme park, which becomes more and more horrific with each book. Who—or WHAT—is behind the evil plot to assemble these kids? The answer will only be revealed in book twelve.”
Perhaps this is a brilliant, zany marketing scheme just out there enough to work. More likely, it’s a sign of where kids are right now. After all, Britney Crosby, the beleaguered protagonist of Revenge of the Living Dummy, has a cell phone despite being twelve. Maybe this is just what it takes to get kids involved these days. As I neither have one nor know one, I cannot really speak to this.
I can speak to the quality of the first book, and the good news for R.L. Stine fans is that it’s everything you would expect from a new Goosebumps. Classic kid topics, like cousin hatred, are covered with aplomb: “I like to make lists. And if I made a list of My Top 5,000 Favorite People in the World, my cousin Ethan wouldn’t be on it.” Injustice, too: “So now I had to sleep in Mom’s sewing room. And the sewing machine was still against the wall. So how much room did I have? Try not much.” And thanks to the surly living dummy, a cache of jokes that will be instantly added to the ten-year-old’s lexicon: “‘I like your long hair,’ Mr. Badboy said to me. ‘Too bad it’s all growing on your back!’” Indeed, Mr. Badboy. (Stine’s characters are, as always, lovely in their kidishness. I don’t know how good they are as representations of actual children, but they’re certainly perfect as articulations of what we think about when we think about kids.)
And, happily, Stine’s spooky instincts are intact. Consider his opening—“You may wonder why my best friend, Molly Molloy, and I were in the old graveyard late at night.”—which sets a creepy vibe from the start and is even further terrifying in that R.L. Stine is evidently able to conceive of a situation wherein one wouldn’t want to know what these girls were up to in the graveyard. The story itself centres around the re-emergence of and fight against Slappy, a possessed dummy whom you’ll recall from Night of the Living Dummy and its sequels II and III, Goosebumps 2000: Bride of the Living Dummy, and Goosbumps 2000: Slappy’s Nightmare. Slappy, as you can probably imagine, turns out to be a bad dude, as Britney discovers while doing research in a folder marked VENTRILOQUISM found in the attic workroom of Molly’s father, who, thank God, happens to be a professor of folklore. Choice cut: “‘It says the dummy’s real name is Slappy,’ I told Molly. ‘And—I was right! He’s totally evil!’”
(To learn more about Slappy, you should pickup the reissue of Night of the Living Dummy that is being published as part of a group of classic Goosebumps timed to accompany the new titles. It contains a handy ‘Fright Gallery’ in its appendix, which is sort of a Dungeons & Dragons-style assessment of Slappy’s origins, powers, and other particulars. I think everyone can agree that the books are better if you understand that “[s]ome people believe that Slappy has the power to control people’s minds and turn people into puppets,” that his Hobbies & Interests include “[d]aydreaming about what he’ll do when he becomes the Supreme Ruler of the Human Race,” that he rates ten out of ten for humour in the Splat Stats section (though a mere six splats for Attack Skills), and that he was made “a thousand times ruder” by the demise of Mr. Wood, his brother dummy who was carved from the same stolen coffin by “an ancient sorcerer” in the late 1800s.)
In the Times piece, Stine worried about whether the series would catch the imagination of kids in the same way today: “‘Maybe it’ll be hard to do a second time,’ he said. ‘Maybe it’ll happen again. Right now I don’t know.’” Based on Revenge of the Living Dummy, which really is a fun and fast-paced read, I think he’ll be just fine. And if they can figure out the bells and whistles, the kids will be alright, too
R.L.Stine Uncovers GoosebumpsHorrorland's Biggest Thrill
Fans of "Goosebumps" are sure to love the new books, which show Stine at the top of his form as he spins stories filled with creepy characters, graveyards, scary noises, cliffhanging chapter endings and loads of wacky humor. The new series already has gotten a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it "deliciously chilling."
While some adults have long decried the "Goosebumps" books as too formulaic and low-brow, many librarians and other children's-book experts see the series as a great way to get kids interested in reading. In fact, Stine has gotten thousands of letters from readers and their parents who say the books have been a gateway into reading.
"That's the biggest thrill -- meeting and hearing from so many kids who enjoy my books," he said.
R.L. Stine makes his living scaring children, but he's a pretty mild-mannered guy.
Known as "Bob" to friends, Stine has a relaxed manner and an easy laugh. It's hard to believe that this is the same man whose "Goosebumps" series has frightened millions of kids around the world. But it's important to remember that he's also made them laugh themselves silly with his outrageous, often gross humor.
That's Stine's trademark: blending humor with fear in a way that makes it impossible for kids to stop turning the pages until they've reached the end of his books. That formula has brought fame and fortune to Stine, whose 87-book "Goosebumps" series has sold more than 300 million copies and been translated into 32 languages.
In addition, the "Goosebumps" television series has been a hit with young viewers, while the official "Goosebumps" Web site -- www.scholastic.com/goosebumps -- receives more than 2 million page views each month, according to Scholastic.
Eight years ago, however, Stine, 64, decided he needed a break from "Goosebumps," and focused on writing other series for kids, including a series called "Rotten School." Kids liked that series, but still clamored for more "Goosebumps."
"Everywhere I went, kids asked me: 'When are you going to write new "Goosebumps" books?,' " Stine said in a recent telephone interview from his New York home. "I thought that if I could do something different with the series, I would give it a try."
So Stine created "Goosebumps HorrorLand," a new, 12-book series that connects with a special Internet site, www.enterhorrorland.com. The first two books, "Revenge of the Living Dummy" and "Creep From the Deep" (Scholastic, $5.99 each), have just been published. Two more books will be published this summer.
Each of the books contains two separate stories. The first part of each book is a stand-alone tale featuring a couple of normal kids caught up in some terrifying adventures. In the second part of each book, the same characters head off to a mysterious theme park called HorrorLand, billed as a place "where nightmares come to life."
The kids don't know why they've been invited to HorrorLand, but figure it looks like a great place to scare themselves silly. The kids soon realize, however, that the scary stuff is for real and that the theme park is populated by some of the meanest villains from the original "Goosebumps" books.
The HorrorLand sections of each book are part of a serial, so readers won't know the entire story until Stine publishes Book 12 in 2010. Meanwhile, as each book in the "Goosebumps HorrorLand" series is published, readers can check on the Web site for further pieces of the story. The site also will offer readers other HorrorLand material not included in the books, including several Internet-only stories plus interactive games.
Fans of "Goosebumps" are sure to love the new books, which show Stine at the top of his form as he spins stories filled with creepy characters, graveyards, scary noises, cliffhanging chapter endings and loads of wacky humor. The new series already has gotten a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it "deliciously chilling."
"It's fun to create these kinds of creepy worlds," Stine said. "And I get a wonderful response from my readers. We're also doing something that we couldn't do in the original 'Goosebumps' -- we have a huge Web site for this new series."
Writing comes naturally to Stine. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Stine began writing at the age of 9 when he found an old typewriter in his family's attic. He carried it down to his room and began writing stories and joke books.
After graduating from Ohio State University (where he edited the campus humor magazine), Stine headed to New York. He made a living writing joke and humor books for kids before publishing his first horror novel, a young-adult thriller called "Blind Date," in 1986.
He followed that best seller with a teen series called "Fear Street" before launching "Goosebumps" in 1992. Other Stine series include "Dangerous Girls," "The Nightmare Room" and "Mostly Ghostly." Altogether, Stine has sold more than 400 million books.
While some adults have long decried the "Goosebumps" books as too formulaic and low-brow, many librarians and other children's-book experts see the series as a great way to get kids interested in reading. In fact, Stine has gotten thousands of letters from readers and their parents who say the books have been a gateway into reading.
"That's the biggest thrill -- meeting and hearing from so many kids who enjoy my books," he said.
While some adults have long decried the "Goosebumps" books as too formulaic and low-brow, many librarians and other children's-book experts see the series as a great way to get kids interested in reading. In fact, Stine has gotten thousands of letters from readers and their parents who say the books have been a gateway into reading.
"That's the biggest thrill -- meeting and hearing from so many kids who enjoy my books," he said.
R.L. Stine makes his living scaring children, but he's a pretty mild-mannered guy.
Known as "Bob" to friends, Stine has a relaxed manner and an easy laugh. It's hard to believe that this is the same man whose "Goosebumps" series has frightened millions of kids around the world. But it's important to remember that he's also made them laugh themselves silly with his outrageous, often gross humor.
That's Stine's trademark: blending humor with fear in a way that makes it impossible for kids to stop turning the pages until they've reached the end of his books. That formula has brought fame and fortune to Stine, whose 87-book "Goosebumps" series has sold more than 300 million copies and been translated into 32 languages.
In addition, the "Goosebumps" television series has been a hit with young viewers, while the official "Goosebumps" Web site -- www.scholastic.com/goosebumps -- receives more than 2 million page views each month, according to Scholastic.
Eight years ago, however, Stine, 64, decided he needed a break from "Goosebumps," and focused on writing other series for kids, including a series called "Rotten School." Kids liked that series, but still clamored for more "Goosebumps."
"Everywhere I went, kids asked me: 'When are you going to write new "Goosebumps" books?,' " Stine said in a recent telephone interview from his New York home. "I thought that if I could do something different with the series, I would give it a try."
So Stine created "Goosebumps HorrorLand," a new, 12-book series that connects with a special Internet site, www.enterhorrorland.com. The first two books, "Revenge of the Living Dummy" and "Creep From the Deep" (Scholastic, $5.99 each), have just been published. Two more books will be published this summer.
Each of the books contains two separate stories. The first part of each book is a stand-alone tale featuring a couple of normal kids caught up in some terrifying adventures. In the second part of each book, the same characters head off to a mysterious theme park called HorrorLand, billed as a place "where nightmares come to life."
The kids don't know why they've been invited to HorrorLand, but figure it looks like a great place to scare themselves silly. The kids soon realize, however, that the scary stuff is for real and that the theme park is populated by some of the meanest villains from the original "Goosebumps" books.
The HorrorLand sections of each book are part of a serial, so readers won't know the entire story until Stine publishes Book 12 in 2010. Meanwhile, as each book in the "Goosebumps HorrorLand" series is published, readers can check on the Web site for further pieces of the story. The site also will offer readers other HorrorLand material not included in the books, including several Internet-only stories plus interactive games.
Fans of "Goosebumps" are sure to love the new books, which show Stine at the top of his form as he spins stories filled with creepy characters, graveyards, scary noises, cliffhanging chapter endings and loads of wacky humor. The new series already has gotten a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it "deliciously chilling."
"It's fun to create these kinds of creepy worlds," Stine said. "And I get a wonderful response from my readers. We're also doing something that we couldn't do in the original 'Goosebumps' -- we have a huge Web site for this new series."
Writing comes naturally to Stine. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Stine began writing at the age of 9 when he found an old typewriter in his family's attic. He carried it down to his room and began writing stories and joke books.
After graduating from Ohio State University (where he edited the campus humor magazine), Stine headed to New York. He made a living writing joke and humor books for kids before publishing his first horror novel, a young-adult thriller called "Blind Date," in 1986.
He followed that best seller with a teen series called "Fear Street" before launching "Goosebumps" in 1992. Other Stine series include "Dangerous Girls," "The Nightmare Room" and "Mostly Ghostly." Altogether, Stine has sold more than 400 million books.
While some adults have long decried the "Goosebumps" books as too formulaic and low-brow, many librarians and other children's-book experts see the series as a great way to get kids interested in reading. In fact, Stine has gotten thousands of letters from readers and their parents who say the books have been a gateway into reading.
"That's the biggest thrill -- meeting and hearing from so many kids who enjoy my books," he said.
Goosebumps HorrorLand vs Harry Potter
“Goosebumps” sells about two million copies a year, said Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media, who manages licensing for the series.
Ms. Forte said she considered “Goosebumps” the first book-based multimedia brand, noting that a Saturday morning television show on Fox extended the audience for the series. The TV show may also be stirring interest in the books’ second coming: when the Cartoon Network began rerunning the show in October, Mr. Stine noticed an almost immediate uptick in the amount of fan e-mail he received.
Holding a copy of the first “HorrorLand” book, “Revenge of the Living Dummy,” Mr. Stine admired the flashy cover displaying a theme park entrance and a suspicious-looking ventriloquist’s dummy.
“They’re so shiny,” he said. “They’ve got to be shiny now.” Today’s young readers demand it.
“I don’t really want to terrify kids,” he said. “I want them to have a really good time reading.”
When R. L. Stine’s characters confront a creepy villain, they may gasp, they may shiver, they may even cringe. Mostly, though, they shriek.
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
The best-selling author R. L. Stine is hoping to frighten a new generation of readers with a new “Goosebumps” series.
Related
First Chapter: 'Revenge of the Living Dummy' (March 24, 2008)
Times Topics: R.L. Stine
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
With his new “Goosebumps HorrorLand” books, R. L. Stine returns to the series for which he is best known.
“That’s when I started to scream” may be the most frequently used chapter ending in the hugely successful children’s horror series “Goosebumps,” which a decade ago catapulted Mr. Stine to prominence. Now, for the first time in eight years, during which Mr. Stine tried his hand at creating other series, he is back with a fresh “Goosebumps.” Can he resuscitate the dormant brand?
“Maybe it’ll be hard to do a second time,” he said. “Maybe it’ll happen again. Right now I don’t know.”
Mr. Stine, who was born Robert Lawrence Stine 64 years ago, devotes considerable effort to the cliffhangers that virtually dare you to try to stop reading. For years it paid off with a sizable following of children — many of them now just getting out of college or having children of their own — for whom the slightly scary “Goosebumps” series was a sensation before it cooled off in the mid-’90s, just before Harry Potter took off in the United States.
Now his American publisher, Scholastic, hoping that another generation of readers ages 8 to 12 is ready for his stories, is releasing the first of 12 books in a new series called “Goosebumps HorrorLand.” The author and his publisher must know the odds are against lightning striking twice.
Then again, Mr. Stine said, he often receives requests for new “Goosebumps” books.
Sitting with two dozen shy-looking students in the library of Oak Street Elementary School in Basking Ridge, N.J., one recent rainy afternoon, Mr. Stine asked how many “Goosebumps” books they had read. Frank Petrillo, a fourth grader, proudly cited his tally — 38 — and then asked excitedly, “When are the ‘Goosebumps HorrorLand’ books going to come out?”
Mr. Stine and his editors at Scholastic are betting that boys like Frank will rekindle interest in the series — which, they are quick to say, never disappeared completely. In the new books Mr. Stine intends to link the scary stories of “Goosebumps” with a serialized tale set inside an evil amusement park called HorrorLand. The children in the first book are invited to the park, where they discover a werewolf petting zoo, bottomless canoes, a quicksand beach and other wicked attractions. Their misfortunes will be chronicled in serial form in 30-page installments at the end of the subsequent books, which will focus on different characters. At the same time, the stories will continue online at two companion Web sites for the theme park, enterhorrorland.com and escapehorrorland.com.
Sitting in his Upper West Side living room after a morning spent revising Book 7, “My Friends Call Me Monster,” Mr. Stine said his prime goal all along had been to draw children to books.
“I don’t really want to terrify kids,” he said. “I want them to have a really good time reading.”
Mr. Stine got his start writing funny stories, not scary ones. Under the name Jovial Bob Stine, he was the author of dozens of joke books in the 1970s and ’80s. Influenced by the surprise twists of Ray Bradbury’s novels and devoted to comic books, he came to appreciate the way some writers were able to combine humor with the macabre.
He found early success with a teenage horror series called “Fear Street.” “I was having a good time killing off teenagers,” Mr. Stine said, when the co-owner of Parachute Press, Joan Waricha, persuaded him to aim at a younger demographic, and “Goosebumps” was born.
The books, with titles like “Monster Blood” and “How I Got My Shrunken Head,” were major hits in the early ’90s. For three consecutive years, USA Today named Mr. Stine the best-selling author in America. For a time Scholastic was selling four million copies a month.
“It was far beyond anyone’s dreams,” Mr. Stine said. “You know how it changed my life? I had to work harder.”
Along the wall of Mr. Stine’s home office are testaments to the brand’s glory: a “Goosebumps” chocolate Advent calendar, a toothbrush holder, a box of Count Chocula cereal with a “Goosebumps” logo. At the height of “Goosebumps,” there was also a television series and talk of a possible movie.
But then the relationship between Scholastic and Parachute, the books’ packager, became strained. Ownership of licensing rights was disputed as early as 1996, and by the end of 1997 Scholastic had stopped paying advances to Parachute, and Parachute had filed suit. Around the same time, sales figures started weakening.
“The kids got tired of them,” Mr. Stine said simply. “There were too many of them out there.”
After putting the series to rest in 2000, Mr. Stine created new spooky series — “The Nightmare Room,” “Mostly Ghostly,” “Rotten School” — but they did not capture anywhere near as big an audience.
“I spent eight years trying to think of a title as good as ‘Goosebumps,’ ” he said. But he never did.
Scholastic, meanwhile, had found even greater success with Harry Potter, and the rules of children’s literature were changing.
Stephen King, writing in Entertainment Weekly, has suggested that Mr. Stine’s success helped persuade Scholastic to pursue J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard. “He’s largely unknown and uncredited,” Mr. King wrote. “But of course, John the Baptist never got the same press as Jesus, either.”
The publishing disputes surrounding “Goosebumps” were settled in 2003, with Scholastic paying $9.65 million for the rights to existing and future titles in the series. Even without new titles for so many years, “Goosebumps” sells about two million copies a year, said Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media, who manages licensing for the series.
Ms. Forte said she considered “Goosebumps” the first book-based multimedia brand, noting that a Saturday morning television show on Fox extended the audience for the series. The TV show may also be stirring interest in the books’ second coming: when the Cartoon Network began rerunning the show in October, Mr. Stine noticed an almost immediate uptick in the amount of fan e-mail he received.
Holding a copy of the first “HorrorLand” book, “Revenge of the Living Dummy,” Mr. Stine admired the flashy cover displaying a theme park entrance and a suspicious-looking ventriloquist’s dummy.
“They’re so shiny,” he said. “They’ve got to be shiny now.” Today’s young readers demand it.
As the setting sun cast shadows across his green couch, Mr. Stine said that, yes, “Goosebumps” would almost certainly be the series for which he is remembered.
“I’m just waiting to see if kids will pick them up again,” he said.
Ms. Forte said she considered “Goosebumps” the first book-based multimedia brand, noting that a Saturday morning television show on Fox extended the audience for the series. The TV show may also be stirring interest in the books’ second coming: when the Cartoon Network began rerunning the show in October, Mr. Stine noticed an almost immediate uptick in the amount of fan e-mail he received.
Holding a copy of the first “HorrorLand” book, “Revenge of the Living Dummy,” Mr. Stine admired the flashy cover displaying a theme park entrance and a suspicious-looking ventriloquist’s dummy.
“They’re so shiny,” he said. “They’ve got to be shiny now.” Today’s young readers demand it.
“I don’t really want to terrify kids,” he said. “I want them to have a really good time reading.”
When R. L. Stine’s characters confront a creepy villain, they may gasp, they may shiver, they may even cringe. Mostly, though, they shriek.
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
The best-selling author R. L. Stine is hoping to frighten a new generation of readers with a new “Goosebumps” series.
Related
First Chapter: 'Revenge of the Living Dummy' (March 24, 2008)
Times Topics: R.L. Stine
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
With his new “Goosebumps HorrorLand” books, R. L. Stine returns to the series for which he is best known.
“That’s when I started to scream” may be the most frequently used chapter ending in the hugely successful children’s horror series “Goosebumps,” which a decade ago catapulted Mr. Stine to prominence. Now, for the first time in eight years, during which Mr. Stine tried his hand at creating other series, he is back with a fresh “Goosebumps.” Can he resuscitate the dormant brand?
“Maybe it’ll be hard to do a second time,” he said. “Maybe it’ll happen again. Right now I don’t know.”
Mr. Stine, who was born Robert Lawrence Stine 64 years ago, devotes considerable effort to the cliffhangers that virtually dare you to try to stop reading. For years it paid off with a sizable following of children — many of them now just getting out of college or having children of their own — for whom the slightly scary “Goosebumps” series was a sensation before it cooled off in the mid-’90s, just before Harry Potter took off in the United States.
Now his American publisher, Scholastic, hoping that another generation of readers ages 8 to 12 is ready for his stories, is releasing the first of 12 books in a new series called “Goosebumps HorrorLand.” The author and his publisher must know the odds are against lightning striking twice.
Then again, Mr. Stine said, he often receives requests for new “Goosebumps” books.
Sitting with two dozen shy-looking students in the library of Oak Street Elementary School in Basking Ridge, N.J., one recent rainy afternoon, Mr. Stine asked how many “Goosebumps” books they had read. Frank Petrillo, a fourth grader, proudly cited his tally — 38 — and then asked excitedly, “When are the ‘Goosebumps HorrorLand’ books going to come out?”
Mr. Stine and his editors at Scholastic are betting that boys like Frank will rekindle interest in the series — which, they are quick to say, never disappeared completely. In the new books Mr. Stine intends to link the scary stories of “Goosebumps” with a serialized tale set inside an evil amusement park called HorrorLand. The children in the first book are invited to the park, where they discover a werewolf petting zoo, bottomless canoes, a quicksand beach and other wicked attractions. Their misfortunes will be chronicled in serial form in 30-page installments at the end of the subsequent books, which will focus on different characters. At the same time, the stories will continue online at two companion Web sites for the theme park, enterhorrorland.com and escapehorrorland.com.
Sitting in his Upper West Side living room after a morning spent revising Book 7, “My Friends Call Me Monster,” Mr. Stine said his prime goal all along had been to draw children to books.
“I don’t really want to terrify kids,” he said. “I want them to have a really good time reading.”
Mr. Stine got his start writing funny stories, not scary ones. Under the name Jovial Bob Stine, he was the author of dozens of joke books in the 1970s and ’80s. Influenced by the surprise twists of Ray Bradbury’s novels and devoted to comic books, he came to appreciate the way some writers were able to combine humor with the macabre.
He found early success with a teenage horror series called “Fear Street.” “I was having a good time killing off teenagers,” Mr. Stine said, when the co-owner of Parachute Press, Joan Waricha, persuaded him to aim at a younger demographic, and “Goosebumps” was born.
The books, with titles like “Monster Blood” and “How I Got My Shrunken Head,” were major hits in the early ’90s. For three consecutive years, USA Today named Mr. Stine the best-selling author in America. For a time Scholastic was selling four million copies a month.
“It was far beyond anyone’s dreams,” Mr. Stine said. “You know how it changed my life? I had to work harder.”
Along the wall of Mr. Stine’s home office are testaments to the brand’s glory: a “Goosebumps” chocolate Advent calendar, a toothbrush holder, a box of Count Chocula cereal with a “Goosebumps” logo. At the height of “Goosebumps,” there was also a television series and talk of a possible movie.
But then the relationship between Scholastic and Parachute, the books’ packager, became strained. Ownership of licensing rights was disputed as early as 1996, and by the end of 1997 Scholastic had stopped paying advances to Parachute, and Parachute had filed suit. Around the same time, sales figures started weakening.
“The kids got tired of them,” Mr. Stine said simply. “There were too many of them out there.”
After putting the series to rest in 2000, Mr. Stine created new spooky series — “The Nightmare Room,” “Mostly Ghostly,” “Rotten School” — but they did not capture anywhere near as big an audience.
“I spent eight years trying to think of a title as good as ‘Goosebumps,’ ” he said. But he never did.
Scholastic, meanwhile, had found even greater success with Harry Potter, and the rules of children’s literature were changing.
Stephen King, writing in Entertainment Weekly, has suggested that Mr. Stine’s success helped persuade Scholastic to pursue J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard. “He’s largely unknown and uncredited,” Mr. King wrote. “But of course, John the Baptist never got the same press as Jesus, either.”
The publishing disputes surrounding “Goosebumps” were settled in 2003, with Scholastic paying $9.65 million for the rights to existing and future titles in the series. Even without new titles for so many years, “Goosebumps” sells about two million copies a year, said Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media, who manages licensing for the series.
Ms. Forte said she considered “Goosebumps” the first book-based multimedia brand, noting that a Saturday morning television show on Fox extended the audience for the series. The TV show may also be stirring interest in the books’ second coming: when the Cartoon Network began rerunning the show in October, Mr. Stine noticed an almost immediate uptick in the amount of fan e-mail he received.
Holding a copy of the first “HorrorLand” book, “Revenge of the Living Dummy,” Mr. Stine admired the flashy cover displaying a theme park entrance and a suspicious-looking ventriloquist’s dummy.
“They’re so shiny,” he said. “They’ve got to be shiny now.” Today’s young readers demand it.
As the setting sun cast shadows across his green couch, Mr. Stine said that, yes, “Goosebumps” would almost certainly be the series for which he is remembered.
“I’m just waiting to see if kids will pick them up again,” he said.
Author of Goosebumps HorrorLand spies on his young readers
Celebrated author R.L. Stine figured he had written enough "Goosebumps" books to last a lifetime.
Youngsters across America told him otherwise.
"I got all this mail from kids asking, 'When are you going to do new 'Goosebumps books?'" Stine said in a recent phone interview. "So, after not having written anything in eight years, I started doing more at the kids' request."
Tomorrow, kids of all ages across Hudson can be treated to a personal appearance by Stine himself at Weehawken High School. The free event, sponsored by the town's public library, comes in the midst of the release of Stine's latest book series, "Goosebumps HorrorLand."
"We are absolutely delighted to welcome R.L. Stine," said Phillip Greco, Weehawken Library director. "Millions of children all over the world have learned to love reading through his books."
"Goosebumps," which has been translated in 32 languages and turned into a top-rated show on the Cartoon Network, got its start in 1992.
None of it might have existed if Stine's editors hadn't coaxed him into it.
"They (my editors) kept after me about it because nobody had really done a scary style of books for 7- to 12-year-old kids," Stine said. "Nobody is more amazed than me about the success that's come from it. You don't expect this kind of thing."
"Goosebumps HorrorLand," Stine's new series, will feature two stories in every book.
"A lot of the villains are back from my old books and there are a bunch of new villains, too," Stine said. "And just when you think it's safe to close the book, there is a continuing serial that takes place in HorrorLand, the scariest place on Earth."
Stine said he thinks youngsters are intrigued by his books because he teases them so much.
"They can't figure out what's going on," he said. "When they think they know what's happening, I throw in another twist."
Stine said he gets satisfaction out of talking to his young fans.
"Then, I can spy on them, see what they're wearing, what their hair looks like," he said. "Seeing them helps me stay close."
Print This
Youngsters across America told him otherwise.
"I got all this mail from kids asking, 'When are you going to do new 'Goosebumps books?'" Stine said in a recent phone interview. "So, after not having written anything in eight years, I started doing more at the kids' request."
Tomorrow, kids of all ages across Hudson can be treated to a personal appearance by Stine himself at Weehawken High School. The free event, sponsored by the town's public library, comes in the midst of the release of Stine's latest book series, "Goosebumps HorrorLand."
"We are absolutely delighted to welcome R.L. Stine," said Phillip Greco, Weehawken Library director. "Millions of children all over the world have learned to love reading through his books."
"Goosebumps," which has been translated in 32 languages and turned into a top-rated show on the Cartoon Network, got its start in 1992.
None of it might have existed if Stine's editors hadn't coaxed him into it.
"They (my editors) kept after me about it because nobody had really done a scary style of books for 7- to 12-year-old kids," Stine said. "Nobody is more amazed than me about the success that's come from it. You don't expect this kind of thing."
"Goosebumps HorrorLand," Stine's new series, will feature two stories in every book.
"A lot of the villains are back from my old books and there are a bunch of new villains, too," Stine said. "And just when you think it's safe to close the book, there is a continuing serial that takes place in HorrorLand, the scariest place on Earth."
Stine said he thinks youngsters are intrigued by his books because he teases them so much.
"They can't figure out what's going on," he said. "When they think they know what's happening, I throw in another twist."
Stine said he gets satisfaction out of talking to his young fans.
"Then, I can spy on them, see what they're wearing, what their hair looks like," he said. "Seeing them helps me stay close."
Print This
HorrorLand stories contain lots of unexpected laughs
If you were one of the most popular writers of horror stories for kids, what would give you goosebumps?
How about running out of ideas?
"Oh, don't say it!" author R.L. Stine begs.
Although he's spent more than 20 years writing for kids and teens, Stine isn't finished yet.
The newest addition to his Goosebumps lineup is HorrorLand, a series of 12 books with two stories in each. One story features familiar Goosebumps characters; the other puts those characters in HorrorLand, a freaky new theme park.
Here's the really cool part: The second story in each book is ongoing and won't conclude until Book 12.
The first two HorrorLand books -- "Revenge of the Living Dummy" and "Creep From the Deep" -- came out this month. The rest will follow at two books per month.
As a scary theme park, HorrorLand lacks for nothing, including zombies and frozen eyeballs on a stick. Yum!
To create this creepy place, Stine drew from his own experience with amusement parks.
"I love theme parks," he says in a phone interview. "I would like to live at Disney World."
After visiting the Florida theme park many times, Stine had a fairly good idea of what he wanted in his park. Before he even began writing, he drew a map of HorrorLand and made detailed notes.
Kids often ask Stine how he deals with writer's block, a condition in which authors can't think of anything creative to write. He tells them that preparing before writing -- by making maps and detailed outlines, for example -- is one way to start.
With more than 300 books to his name, Stine says there is no formula for writing a good story, but some themes are common. As with his other books, HorrorLand stories contain lots of unexpected laughs.
"I think there is a very close connection between humor and horror," he says. "That's why there is so much of both" in my stories.
Another common theme in his books is kids triumphing over evil -- without their parents.
"Parents are useless," Stine says. "Either they don't believe the kids or they aren't any help."
His stories "are all about normal kids facing horrible, frightening problems" and "using their own wit and ... imagination" to figure things out.
How about running out of ideas?
"Oh, don't say it!" author R.L. Stine begs.
Although he's spent more than 20 years writing for kids and teens, Stine isn't finished yet.
The newest addition to his Goosebumps lineup is HorrorLand, a series of 12 books with two stories in each. One story features familiar Goosebumps characters; the other puts those characters in HorrorLand, a freaky new theme park.
Here's the really cool part: The second story in each book is ongoing and won't conclude until Book 12.
The first two HorrorLand books -- "Revenge of the Living Dummy" and "Creep From the Deep" -- came out this month. The rest will follow at two books per month.
As a scary theme park, HorrorLand lacks for nothing, including zombies and frozen eyeballs on a stick. Yum!
To create this creepy place, Stine drew from his own experience with amusement parks.
"I love theme parks," he says in a phone interview. "I would like to live at Disney World."
After visiting the Florida theme park many times, Stine had a fairly good idea of what he wanted in his park. Before he even began writing, he drew a map of HorrorLand and made detailed notes.
Kids often ask Stine how he deals with writer's block, a condition in which authors can't think of anything creative to write. He tells them that preparing before writing -- by making maps and detailed outlines, for example -- is one way to start.
With more than 300 books to his name, Stine says there is no formula for writing a good story, but some themes are common. As with his other books, HorrorLand stories contain lots of unexpected laughs.
"I think there is a very close connection between humor and horror," he says. "That's why there is so much of both" in my stories.
Another common theme in his books is kids triumphing over evil -- without their parents.
"Parents are useless," Stine says. "Either they don't believe the kids or they aren't any help."
His stories "are all about normal kids facing horrible, frightening problems" and "using their own wit and ... imagination" to figure things out.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Goosebumps HorrorLand: new details and what's to wait for
With
When R.L. Stine's characters confront a creepy villain, they may gasp, they may shiver, they may even cringe. Mostly, though, they shriek.
Continue to 2nd paragraph
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
Best-selling author R. L. Stine is hoping to frighten a new generation of readers with a new "Goosebumps" series. With "Goosebumps HorrorLand," R. L. Stine returns to the series for which he is best known.
"That's when I started to scream" may be the most frequently used chapter ending in the hugely successful children's horror series "Goosebumps," which a decade ago catapulted Stine to prominence. Now, for the first time in eight years during which Stine tried his hand at creating other series, he is back with a fresh "Goosebumps." Can he resuscitate the dormant brand?
Stine, who was born Robert Lawrence Stine 64 years ago, devotes considerable effort to the cliffhangers that virtually dare you to try to stop reading. For years it paid off with a sizable following of children for whom the slightly scary "Goosebumps" series was a sensation before it cooled off in the mid-1990s, just before Harry Potter took off in the United States.
Now his American publisher, Scholastic, hoping that another generation of readers ages 8 to 12 is ready for his stories, is releasing the first of 12 books in a new series called "Goosebumps HorrorLand." The author and his publisher must know the odds are against lightning striking twice.
Then again, Stine said, he often receives requests for new "Goosebumps" books.
Stine and his editors at Scholastic are betting that children will rekindle interest in the series - which, they are quick to say, never disappeared completely. In the new books Stine intends to link the scary stories of "Goosebumps" with a serialized tale set inside an evil amusement park called HorrorLand.
The children in the first book are invited to the park, where they discover a werewolf petting zoo, bottomless canoes, a quicksand beach and other wicked attractions. Their misfortunes will be chronicled in serial form in 30-page installments at the end of the subsequent books, which will focus on different characters. At the same time, the stories will continue online at two companion Web sites for the theme park: enterhorrorland.com and escapehorrorland.com.
"I don't really want to terrify kids," he said. "I want them to have a really good time reading."
Stine got his start writing funny stories, not scary ones. Under the name Jovial Bob Stine, he was the author of dozens of joke books in the 1970s and '80s. Influenced by the surprise twists of Ray Bradbury's novels and devoted to comic books, he came to appreciate the way some writers were able to combine humor with the macabre.
He found early success with a teenage horror series called "Fear Street."
"I was having a good time killing off teenagers," Stine said, when the co-owner of Parachute Press, Joan Waricha, persuaded him to aim at a younger demographic, and "Goosebumps" was born.
The books, with titles like "Monster Blood" and "How I Got My Shrunken Head," were major hits in the early '90s. For three consecutive years, USA Today named Stine the best-selling author in America. For a time Scholastic was selling 4 million copies a month.
"It was far beyond anyone's dreams," Stine said. "You know how it changed my life? I had to work harder."
But then the relationship between Scholastic and Parachute, the books' packager, became strained. Ownership of licensing rights was disputed as early as 1996, and by the end of 1997 Scholastic had stopped paying advances to Parachute, and Parachute had filed suit. Around the same time sales figures started weakening.
The publishing disputes surrounding "Goosebumps" were settled in 2003, with Scholastic paying $9.65 million for the rights to existing and future titles in the series.
Even without new titles for so many years, "Goosebumps" sells about 2 million copies a year, said Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media, who manages licensing for the series.
Holding a copy of the first "HorrorLand" book, "Revenge of the Living Dummy," Stine admired the flashy cover displaying a theme park entrance and a suspicious-looking ventriloquist's dummy.
As the setting sun cast shadows across his green couch, Stine said that, yes, "Goosebumps" would almost certainly be the series for which he is remembered.
"I'm just waiting to see if kids will pick them up again," he said.
When R.L. Stine's characters confront a creepy villain, they may gasp, they may shiver, they may even cringe. Mostly, though, they shriek.
Continue to 2nd paragraph
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
Best-selling author R. L. Stine is hoping to frighten a new generation of readers with a new "Goosebumps" series. With "Goosebumps HorrorLand," R. L. Stine returns to the series for which he is best known.
"That's when I started to scream" may be the most frequently used chapter ending in the hugely successful children's horror series "Goosebumps," which a decade ago catapulted Stine to prominence. Now, for the first time in eight years during which Stine tried his hand at creating other series, he is back with a fresh "Goosebumps." Can he resuscitate the dormant brand?
Stine, who was born Robert Lawrence Stine 64 years ago, devotes considerable effort to the cliffhangers that virtually dare you to try to stop reading. For years it paid off with a sizable following of children for whom the slightly scary "Goosebumps" series was a sensation before it cooled off in the mid-1990s, just before Harry Potter took off in the United States.
Now his American publisher, Scholastic, hoping that another generation of readers ages 8 to 12 is ready for his stories, is releasing the first of 12 books in a new series called "Goosebumps HorrorLand." The author and his publisher must know the odds are against lightning striking twice.
Then again, Stine said, he often receives requests for new "Goosebumps" books.
Stine and his editors at Scholastic are betting that children will rekindle interest in the series - which, they are quick to say, never disappeared completely. In the new books Stine intends to link the scary stories of "Goosebumps" with a serialized tale set inside an evil amusement park called HorrorLand.
The children in the first book are invited to the park, where they discover a werewolf petting zoo, bottomless canoes, a quicksand beach and other wicked attractions. Their misfortunes will be chronicled in serial form in 30-page installments at the end of the subsequent books, which will focus on different characters. At the same time, the stories will continue online at two companion Web sites for the theme park: enterhorrorland.com and escapehorrorland.com.
"I don't really want to terrify kids," he said. "I want them to have a really good time reading."
Stine got his start writing funny stories, not scary ones. Under the name Jovial Bob Stine, he was the author of dozens of joke books in the 1970s and '80s. Influenced by the surprise twists of Ray Bradbury's novels and devoted to comic books, he came to appreciate the way some writers were able to combine humor with the macabre.
He found early success with a teenage horror series called "Fear Street."
"I was having a good time killing off teenagers," Stine said, when the co-owner of Parachute Press, Joan Waricha, persuaded him to aim at a younger demographic, and "Goosebumps" was born.
The books, with titles like "Monster Blood" and "How I Got My Shrunken Head," were major hits in the early '90s. For three consecutive years, USA Today named Stine the best-selling author in America. For a time Scholastic was selling 4 million copies a month.
"It was far beyond anyone's dreams," Stine said. "You know how it changed my life? I had to work harder."
But then the relationship between Scholastic and Parachute, the books' packager, became strained. Ownership of licensing rights was disputed as early as 1996, and by the end of 1997 Scholastic had stopped paying advances to Parachute, and Parachute had filed suit. Around the same time sales figures started weakening.
The publishing disputes surrounding "Goosebumps" were settled in 2003, with Scholastic paying $9.65 million for the rights to existing and future titles in the series.
Even without new titles for so many years, "Goosebumps" sells about 2 million copies a year, said Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media, who manages licensing for the series.
Holding a copy of the first "HorrorLand" book, "Revenge of the Living Dummy," Stine admired the flashy cover displaying a theme park entrance and a suspicious-looking ventriloquist's dummy.
As the setting sun cast shadows across his green couch, Stine said that, yes, "Goosebumps" would almost certainly be the series for which he is remembered.
"I'm just waiting to see if kids will pick them up again," he said.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Goosebumps Horrorland #1: Revenge of Living Dummy
Goosebumps Horrorland #1: Revenge of Living Dummy
About the book:
Format:Trade Paperback
Published:April 1, 2008
Dimensions:144 Pages, 0 x 0 x 0 in
Published By:SCHOLASTIC INC
ISBN:0439918693
Fright-master R.L. Stine invites you on an all-new, all-terrifying adventure!
The thrill ride begins when 12-year-old Britney Crosby encounters an old ventriloquist's dummy with a lively secret--and a wicked plan.
Just when she thinks the nightmare is over, Britney receives an invitation to an amusement park where everything is not as it seems. Who--or what--is summoning ordinary kids to HorrorLand? Britney and her friends must find out fast--or remain trapped forever in the scariest place on Earth.
About the book:
Format:Trade Paperback
Published:April 1, 2008
Dimensions:144 Pages, 0 x 0 x 0 in
Published By:SCHOLASTIC INC
ISBN:0439918693
Fright-master R.L. Stine invites you on an all-new, all-terrifying adventure!
The thrill ride begins when 12-year-old Britney Crosby encounters an old ventriloquist's dummy with a lively secret--and a wicked plan.
Just when she thinks the nightmare is over, Britney receives an invitation to an amusement park where everything is not as it seems. Who--or what--is summoning ordinary kids to HorrorLand? Britney and her friends must find out fast--or remain trapped forever in the scariest place on Earth.
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